The Formal
by Sabri10224
Summary: NEW CHAPTER A part of the Helga's ConfessionOne By One stories! CHECK OUT THE SITE LISTED UNDER MY HOMEPAGE FOR INFO ABOUT "The Journal" AND REMEMBER TO WRITE TO NICK SAYING YOU LOVE IT SO HA! ISN'T CANCELLED!
1. The Bike Ride

"Hello?"  
"Ready, Helga?"  
"Yup."  
"I'll be there in 5 minutes."  
"Bye."  
  
It was the night of the end of the year formal. I was so excited...what? You think that it is impossible for me, Helga G. Pataki, to be excited to go to a dance? Well, I would have stayed home, if it wasn't for the promise I made with Arnold*.  
  
Anyway, I was ready for some fun. I get to do the thing I loved the most. I was going to mess with people's minds. Confused? Well...  
*Ding Dong  
You won't be for long.  
  
"Hey Arnold!"  
"You look great! That outfit will fool everyone!"  
  
Did I mention it was a costume party?   
  
I looked at myself in the mirror. I saw Arnold behind me looking wide-eyed at my royal purple and gold, high-collared, and very exquisite Renaissance dress. I turned around.  
  
"You don't look so bad yourself."  
  
He looked impressive in his tuxedo. He was obviously the Phantom of the Opera due to the high-collared black cape and white half-mask. That Arnold, so sophisticated, so full of class, so...wonderful.  
  
"Let's go!" And I slipped on my feathered mask, took his hand, and whisked out the door.  
  
"I thought we could go to the dance with a bit of class," Arnold said as I laughed at his bike, that he had gotten painted black.  
"How dumb is that?"  
"As cheesy as you can get without the smell."  
"Whatever."  
"Hey, I did this for you. So either get on the back and sit or... we can walk the 2 miles to school."  
"Ok, since you worked so hard." I sat on the back of the seat and he sat in front of me and started pedaling.   
  
The black backdrop of night enveloped the city as the moon and the dim streetlights gave little needed light to Hillwood. The stars were shining brightly and I smiled, closed my eyes, and made a wish when I saw a falling star in the distance.  
  
"So..."  
"It's really nice out tonight."  
"It is."  
"Your costume is incredible."  
"I could say the same and more about yours. It's so beautiful. It couldn't look better on anyone else."  
I blushed. Thank goodness the night hid it...not to mention, I was sitting behind him. He couldn't see me anyway.  
"You think anyone will know who you are?"  
"Well, no, but I think they won't have a problem guessing who I am."  
"That's what you get for being a football head."  
I saw moving lights in the distance. They slowly came closer and closer as we approached P.S. 118. We rode the rest of the way in silence. As he locked his bike up on the bike rack on the playground, I secured my mask, preparing for a little bit of fun. I couldn't wait to mess with everyone's minds. That's me for ya. We walked inside, and walked in front of the gym doors, hearing the muffled DJ's music as we stood there.  
"You ready?"  
"Ready as I'll ever be."  
He laced his fingers in my white-gloved hand, and together we pushed the double doors open to face the world together.  
The crowd gasped. 


	2. The Contest

They weren't gasping at us.  
  
Anyway, I guess they were gasping that the fact that Eugene was break- dancing and in the middle of his 'funky worm', he ended up crashing right into the snack table. He emerged from beneath the tablecloth, mumbling, "I'm okay." and with his white Elvis suit and cape stained pink from the spilled punch.  
  
The gasp then turned to laughter.  
  
I glanced from behind my mask at the costumed crowd. I saw Nadine, dressed as one of those big beetles that she loved so much. Rhonda was standing a bit away from her, she checking every spot on her ballerina costume to be sure it was perfect. I spotted Phoebe and Gerald dancing, giving the essence of Danny and Sandy, with Gerald's leather jacket sporting the T- Birds logo, and Phoebe spinning around in her blond wig and poodle skirt. Brainy was even there, but I only spotted him slipping off into the shadows of the bleachers, where the people who didn't have dates usually hung out. I almost felt bad for him. The keyword there was 'almost'.  
  
'All or Nothing' by O-Town floated out of the speakers. Yes, I hate boy- bands, but this song is good.  
  
"Wanna go dance?"  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
As the lyrics swept through my mind, I danced with Arnold. We just let the song sweep up off our feet, until we were flying through the midnight sky on a shooting star. I could not imagine anything else that could describe the way I was feeling. As the song ended, we pulled apart, noticing quite a few people looking at us.okay, maybe that 'few' was the whole crowd, but I didn't care. I was the happiest girl in the world.  
  
Harold, in his pirate costume, strode over with a shockingly beautiful Rapunzel, which at a closer glance, turned out to be Patty.  
  
"Hey, Arnnnnold!"  
  
"Hey Harold. How are you?"  
  
"Good. Patty and I were hanging out over near the snack table with Sid and Stinky until Eugene went and flew into it. Sid got covered in soda, and Stinky got sick because the sandwiches were set out too long, so Sid took Stinky home, and he's gonna stop by his house real quick to get a new costume before he comes back."  
  
"Arnold, who's this?"  
  
Arnold froze. "Uh, this is.uh.my FRIEND, yeah, my friend..from.uh."  
  
I had to step in for this one.  
  
What was I gonna say? Think, Helga, ol' girl! Think of a name! Wait.  
  
"My name is Cecile. I'm Arnold's pen pal from Paris," I crooned in a French accent.  
  
Patty tilted her head. "Really? You look nothing like that photo Arnold showed me."  
  
I gave her a smile. "Growth spurt."  
  
"Oh." Patty nodded.  
  
The DJ's voice came over the music. "Hey, kids. the karaoke contest is coming up soon! Here's one last song before we draw the contestant's names and see who's the last one standing!" Pink's voice blasted over the speakers with 'Get the Party Started'.  
  
"Let's go dance, Patty. Hey guys, come dance next to us."  
  
"Okay, come on Cecile."  
  
We slid out onto the dance floor. It was weird, hanging out and dancing with them. I never thought I'd say that I enjoy dancing, but I did at that point. It was different, but I had fun. The song ended, and the DJ's voice came over the speakers.  
  
"Hey everyone, it's time to draw the names for the karaoke contest!" He held up a rather large bucket, full of slips of paper. "We have every one of your names in here, so let's pick our two singers!" He dug around in the bucket and pulled the first slip.  
  
"Stinky Peterson!"  
  
Harold yelled, "He went home sick!"  
  
"Ok." He pulled another slip. "Helga Pataki!"  
  
Arnold yelled, "She's not here, but, uh, my friend Cecile will take her place!"  
  
"Arnold, what are you doing!?" I whispered to him.  
  
"Trying to get you in the contest, Cecile." He said.  
  
"Why not? Get up here Cecile!" The DJ yelled.  
  
I bit my lip. Why not? I'm just gonna lose anyway. I went up there.  
  
"Ok Cecile, your opponent will be." He pulled the slip.  
  
"Brainy!"  
  
Oh, no. I then saw Brainy emerge from the shadows and come slowly up to the stage. I saw his costume clearly for the first time that night, and was laughing inside so hard. Not because it was stupid, because it was cool! He came to the dance as Austin Powers!  
  
"Ok, you two. Tell me which song you want to sing, and then, on your cue, belt it out! Brainy, want to go first?"  
  
He looked at me. "Sure." I saw it in his eyes. He knew who I was. But instead of confronting me, he whispered something into the DJ's ear, took up the mike, and I stood back.  
  
The music started.  
  
I heard the drum roll, then that familiar guitar reverberation from Chad Kroger and Josey Scott's song "Hero".  
  
I could not believe my ears. He sung so incredibly that there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd when he was done. The crowd almost knocked him over with their applause.  
  
"Okay Cecile! You're up next!"  
  
He expected me to follow that act? Oh, well! He deserves to win with his talent. But I whispered my song into the DJ's ear anyway, and Brainy handed me the mike.  
  
"Why you have to go and make things so complicated?  
  
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated,  
  
Life's like this, you  
  
you fall and you crawl and you break  
  
and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty  
  
and promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it,  
  
no, no, no."  
  
I continued singing the rest, but I knew that I had lost anyway. Brainy should win anyway, he's got talent.  
  
When I finished, I was surprised that I got as much applause, if not more than Brainy! I'm no good at singing!  
  
"Well, the obvious winner is Cecile!" The DJ yelled. "But let's give a round of applause for Brainy!"  
  
People clapped.a lot. I was surprised that he didn't win. I almost felt sorry for him.  
  
The keyword there was 'almost'.  
  
The DJ then gave me a envelope. "You win 2 passes to the Ambition concert this weekend!" (Sweet! Ambition is the best local punk rock band on this side of Hillwood!) Speaking of which, here's their new song 'Cry Not for Me'!"  
  
I went back to Arnold. He was smiling when I wrapped my arms around him to dance.  
  
"It's hard to stare you in the eye  
  
There's nothing I want less than to make you cry  
  
I try to be the girl for you  
  
But my love just will never do  
  
Don't cry for the price my stupidity cost  
  
Don't cry for the time that we've lost  
  
Don't cry because our love cannot be  
  
Cry not, cry not, cry not for me."  
  
I rested my head on his shoulder, staring towards the door resting in the shadows, and I guess something caused the strings to come loose and my mask fell off. I bent down quickly and put it back on. I don't think anyone saw. I was facing the door! Good thing I was quick. Otherwise, who knows what could have happened. Or rather.what DID happen.  
  
  
  
**Don't be sad! I'll put the prologue up soon. My next story, well.I guess you'll know what it'll be about. But can you figure the little details out yet?  
  
YES, that was Avril Lavigne's 'Complicated' that Helga sung. That song by Ambition? Ambition is the band I'm in, I'm the lead singer. That was some new material I wrote for this gig we're playing soon. You like? R&R and tell me!** 


	3. Blackmail

The music continued as we danced.  
  
What a perfect night.  
  
Or so I thought.  
  
The next day, I went to school with the biggest smile on my face. I jumped on the bus, and I bet everyone was quite confused when I slapped Sid on the back and said...  
  
"Hey, buddy, how's it going? Nice hat! New?"  
Sid looked confused, but pleased.  
"Thanks, Helga..."  
  
When we got to school, I walked inside and just... smiled.  
  
"Hey, Rhonda! Looking good! Stinky! Snazzy outfit! Peapod Kid! LOVE the hair!"  
  
And it continued like this!  
  
Until I got to my locker.  
  
I opened it, and when I looked inside, I saw, laying on top of my books, a little note, folded neatly into a square.  
  
I read the note.  
  
Oh, crap. I knew it was bad just by the look of those cut out magazine letters.  
-----  
'SuP hElGa.  
  
I kNoW yOuR sEcReT aNd BlOnD bOy'S ToO.   
iF yOu DoN't Do WhAt I sAy, ThE sEcReT's OuT...  
  
cYa At 202.  
-----  
WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? BLACKMAIL? DEAR GOSH...  
  
What am I going to do?  
  
202... I'd better go.  
  
I walk down the hallway, but it seems dark now. The windows blacken, and it starts to rain.  
  
I reach the locker... no one's there. So I open it, and I see an envelope.  
  
Inside is a picture... of us... at the dance... without my mask! And a note.  
-----  
'SuP hElGa?  
  
20 BaR's Of ChOcOlAtE iN tHiS lOcKeR.  
  
i HaVe ThE nEgAtIvEs.  
-----  
  
I stood there with anger rising the temperature of my blood. Chocolate? No questions now. How could he? How could Chocolate Boy do this? I decided to handle this MY way.  
  
  
"WHERE ARE THOSE NEGATIVES? Tell me, you little brat!"  
  
I was holding Chocolate Boy by the collar in the alleyway by the movie theatre. My fist was raised and so was my temper.  
  
"I swear! I don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"Come on! Tell me, or Ol' Betsy and the 5 Avengers are gonna have a party on your face!"  
"I don't know! Why would I?"  
  
I started to lunge, and then a hand stopped my arm.  
Phoebe. She was standing by me, but I guess she couldn't take it anymore. Yes, I told her about us! She's my best friend... why not?   
  
"Helga! I just realized! Why would Chocolate Boy bother? He's off chocolate! Remember? Arnold cured him!"  
  
How could I be so stupid. Of course. I let him go.  
  
"Sorry, Chocolate Boy. I guess I jumped to conclusions."  
  
He brushed himself off.  
  
"That's ok, I guess. But what were you worried so much about?"  
  
I gave him some of the details. His eyes widened.  
  
"20 bars? I think I know why it was chocolate."  
"WHAT? Spill it!"  
"Big Gino, he's investing in chocolate lately. He's telling me that it's gonna be the new fad. P.S. 118's currency."  
  
Phoebe squeaked.  
  
"Big Gino? Helga, may I suggest we forget this?"  
  
I stared at her.  
  
"You nuts? I can't, otherwise people are gonna find out about me and... ice cream!"  
  
Chocolate Boy was probably really lost at this point.  
  
I continued, "Phoebe. At all costs, I will prevent this from happening. I do not care."  
  
And I left the alleyway in search of Big Gino.  
  
---  
  
Newspaper clippings scattered a desk. He stared intensely with his deep eyes of light blue.  
  
---  
  
As I approached the door to his hideout, Phoebe tried talking me into stopping.  
  
"Helga! Maybe we shouldn't! I mean, why don't we tell Arnold first? He'll take care of it!"  
"I can't, Phoebe! I can't drag him into this! It'll only make it worse if the blackmailer finds out!"  
"Fine. Do whatever you want."  
  
I bust open the door, and there sat Big Gino at his desk, like the criminal mastermind he is. I marched right up to him, leaned over, grabbed his tie, and pulled his worthless face near.  
  
"Word is you're into chocolate."  
"Word is you have a problem with it, Pataki."  
  
I let go of his tie.  
  
"You thought you'd get away with it, huh?"  
"Yeah, I thought I would."  
  
I started pacing.  
  
"So, you admit it?"  
"Yeah. So what? It's good chocolate."  
  
I slammed my hands on his desk and stared into his brown eyes.  
  
"YOU THINK BLACKMAILING INNOCENT PEOPLE IS WORTH IT?"  
  
He looked confused.  
  
"What are you talking about, Pataki?"  
"This!" I flung the notes onto his desk. He picked them up and looked them over.  
"Pataki, I mean, Helga. I didn't have anything to do with this."  
"Prove it!"  
  
One of his cronies appeared out of the shadows behind him. With a camera. He tapped Gino on the shoulder. He turned around and started screaming.  
  
"GET IT AWAY FROM ME! GET IT AWAY!!!"  
  
He took the camera, and flung it against the wall, breaking it. He straightened up.  
  
"I have selaphobia."  
  
Phoebe jumped in.  
  
"Fear of flashes?"  
"Yeah, I avoid cameras... because of the flash..."  
  
He shuddered.  
  
"Well, what were talking about before?"  
"My crew and I are making chocolate bars. Good money."  
"Counterfeit chocolate? Weird..."  
"Well, are you done here?"  
"Yeah. Sorry, Gino."  
  
I started to leave.  
  
"Wait, Helga!"  
  
I turned around.  
  
"I think I might be able to help you." 


	4. The Break In

"Help me? Why would you wanna help me?"  
  
"Because you know my secret, and I wanna keep it in this room."  
  
"Fine.spill it."  
  
He stood up and walked to the window.  
  
" .Saw this guy.following you at that dance.the weird lookin' one with the asthma."  
  
Grrrr.Brainy..  
  
"He seemed like he was hiding."  
  
I interrupted him.  
  
"Thanks for the info, Gino. Come on, Phoebe, let's get out of here."  
  
Phoebe was back in the shadows, still a bit intimidated by Gino and his goonies. We walked to the door, and I was about to shut the door.  
  
"Yo, Gino!"  
  
He looked away from the window at me. The shadows left on his face gave me the impression of a person saying goodbye forever.but that's another story.  
  
"Thanks man."  
  
I closed the door, my anger starting to rise again.  
  
"Ok, Brainy, you wanna play? You really wanna let my secret out? Let's play."  
  
***Later that night***  
  
"Come on, Pheobe! Do this one little favor for me! I'll owe you forever!"  
  
"I don't know, Helga! Doesn't going through Brainy's personal items seem a bit.extreme?"  
  
"Well, that's what he gets for blackmailing me! His karma is bad!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"He did something mean, so something bad happens to him! Kar-ma!"  
  
"Alright, but are you sure we're allowed in the school so late at night?"  
  
"Well, yes. considering I slipped the janitor a twenty again."  
  
"Ok.whatever you say, Helga."  
  
I look a bobby pin, and jimmied the lock open. The locker door swung open and there lay Brainy's belongings. that stuff was worth more than gold to me. at least for now.  
  
"Let's see what we have here." I shuffled through some of his papers. "Hmmm. reports, math quizzes, the works." I kept digging. "Folders. pencils.that homework due on Friday." I had hit the bottom of the locker. "What?"  
  
"Helga, there's nothing else. He's not the blackmailer. Gino was probably lying."  
  
I couldn't believe that! I knew it was him. wait. Think Brainy.  
  
I felt around the locker's walls. feeling into the corners. there! On the ceiling, I felt some peeling paint. How can there be paint on a locker, considering the lockers were made of pre-dyed metal? I removed the painted sheet metal from the ceiling. An envelope was taped on the other side. I pulled away the tape, then sliced open the envelope. 


End file.
